The 2002 Dipsea Race was run on June 9th, a warm and breezy Sunday, with blue skies and great views. But it may go down as the most perilous Dipsea in recent times. Eight runners, overcome by heat, spills, or other injuries went to the hospital, four of them via the Medivac helicopter.
And the injuries continued even after the picnic when a volunteer was hurt loading the portable stage into a truck, requiring a ninth hustle to the hospital.
As for the race, it was dominated by previous winners, with 64-year-old Russ Kiernan coasting to a victory over last year’s champion, Shirley Matson, crossing the finish line almost a half mile in front.
But the race for third place was tight, with Roy Rivers, a 45-year-old from Mill Valley just edging out last year’s third place winner, Christopher Phipps, who this year turned in the fastest actual, non-handicapped time for the second year in a row.
The falls and injuries were caused, the medical teams explained, by warmer than normal temperatures. The sunny skies made for wonderful picnic weather at the finish line, but took its toll on endurance, especially runners who did not have enough pre-race hydration.
The last public act of the race event was the arrival of Jack Kirk, the 95-year-old "Dipsea Demon" who established a new world record for endurance by making this Dipsea his 67 consecutive appearance. It might be hard to recognize that the shrunken, white haired old man who had to be helped to the stage was a two-time Dipsea champion. But his steely determination was clearly evident as he slowly paced to the finish line around 1 pm in the afternoon, four and a half hours after he started the race in Mill Valley at 8:30.
Kirk arrived just in time to be awarded the Norman Bright trophy which goes to individuals who "make an extraordinary effort in the Dipsea Race". It couldn’t go to anyone more appropriate than Jack Kirk, who refused to go directly to the stage until he tottered an extra two hundred yards down the course to officially cross under the finish line banner.
The over 350 volunteers who make the race possible and keep it safe for runners and spectators one again did an outstanding job. Park Rangers were especially vital this year, particularly in helping to evacuate the injured.